Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 PhD student at Shahid Chamran University, Ahvaz, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Management, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
Abstract
Abstract
This study aims to develop a multi-level integrated conceptual framework to explain the effectiveness of celebrity endorsement in sports advertising through a meta-synthesis and systematic integration of findings derived from traditional methods, neuromarketing, and artificial intelligence. In this regard, self-reported data (conscious level), neural indicators (unconscious level), and large-scale behavioral patterns (data-driven level) were integrated within a three-layer analytical framework. Through a systematic search in the Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases, 38 relevant studies published between 2007 and 2025 were selected and their findings were synthesized in a complementary manner. The results indicate that celebrity endorsement increases brand trust, enhances emotional responses and unconscious attention, and strengthens purchase intention. While traditional methods are limited to identifying general preferences, neural tools capture real-time responses with higher precision, and artificial intelligence predicts behavior at a large scale. The integration of these approaches enables the optimization of advertising design and the reduction of costs. Consequently, this study proposes a three-layer framework and suggests that sports brands adopt this approach for pre-testing campaigns and achieving more precise audience targeting.
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